Sandy Ryan vs. Mikaela Mayer: Brit suffers WBO title loss after red paint is thrown on her before fight

Ryan started slowly against Mayer, who used her trademark speed and skill off the jab to build an early lead.

The defending champion came back in the sixth round, landing a big left hand shortly after.

Ryan had another big run in the eighth, but Mayer was up to the challenge of her biggest shots and held on.

Derby’s Ryan, who now has two defeats and seven wins, said the paint incident ” threw me off my game plan a bit”.

“You could see at the beginning of the fight that I was able to handle her pretty well during the jab,” she added.

“I was boxing her and then I started picking it up. But then I obviously pushed it too hard.”

Mayer became a two-weight world champion with the victory, having previously been world super featherweight champion.

The American’s move to welterweight has been questioned due to the 17lb weight jump, but Mayer, who suffered a controversial defeat to Natasha Jonas in January, has now defeated one of the best welterweights in the division.

“(Ryan) just couldn’t handle my timing, so I felt like I won the fight, and I’m just happy I made the right decision this time,” she said, referring to the Jonas fight.

“I want to finish what I started and remain unchallenged. I came really close (super-featherweight).

“But my body has outgrown that weight. I feel comfortable now. I feel like I’m stronger than ever. I’m still in my prime, as you can see.

“So I’m coming for the other champions.”